Daily Catholic Mass Readings for September 24, 2023
First Reading: Isaiah 55.6-9
6"Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near;7let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.8For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.9For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Psalm 145
1I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever.2Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever.3Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.4One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.5On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.6They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds, and I will declare your greatness.7They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.8The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.9The LORD is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.10All your works shall give thanks to you, O LORD, and all your saints shall bless you!11They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom and tell of your power,12to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.13Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations.[The LORD is faithful in all his words and kind in all his works.]14The LORD upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down.15The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season.16You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing.17The LORD is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works.18The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.19He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them.20The LORD preserves all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.21My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD, and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.
Second Reading: Philippians 1.20-24, 27
20as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.21For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.22If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell.23I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.24But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.27Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,
Gospel: Matthew 20.1-16
1"For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.2After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.3And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace,4and to them he said, 'You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.'5So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same.6And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, 'Why do you stand here idle all day?'7They said to him, 'Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, 'You go into the vineyard too.'8And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.'9And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius.10Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius.11And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house,12saying, 'These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.'13But he replied to one of them, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius?14Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you.15Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?'16So the last will be first, and the first last."
Sermon
In today's readings, we are invited to reflect on God's boundless generosity and the call to live with faith and trust in His plan. The first reading from Isaiah urges us to seek the Lord while He is near, emphasizing His mercy and the higher ways of God. This call to repentance reminds us that turning away from sin opens us to receive His forgiveness and grace.
The second reading from Philippians finds Paul expressing a deep longing to be with Christ while acknowledging the importance of his mission. He encourages the Philippians to live in a manner worthy of the Gospel, standing firm in their faith. This passage highlights the balance between desiring eternal life and faithfully serving God's purpose here on earth.
The Gospel parable in Matthew challenges our notions of fairness and reward. The landowner's generosity to all workers, regardless of their hours, illustrates God's grace and the truth that the last shall be first. This parable teaches us to trust in God's plan, which often surpasses our understanding, and to be open to His unexpected ways of bestowing blessings.
In our daily lives, these readings encourage us to embrace God's ways, live faithfully, and trust in His generosity. Let us seek the Lord with repentant hearts, live out our faith with courage, and remain open to the surprising ways God works in our lives. May we find joy in His plan and trust in His abundant grace.